NOVEL WEB Chapter 8 – Thinking Too Much
I stare at Endless's two twin suns. Sol and Sunna, as I hold onto Kurumi's halo, her symbol, the one I grabbed from the wall, in front of the two stars. The shine from the halo hitting my eyes.
[Oh Kurumi...] I thought as I slump my head on the window.
"Let me introduce myself properly Morus-sama. My name's Gabril, Kurumi-sama's Guardian Angel, and the being that was created from you to be a gift for Kurumi-sama's birthday." Is what she said in that dream. At the time forcing me to remember the excruciating task of capturing and taming an angel and the player in question.
Kurumi.
A powerful and very influential player in Endless, easily being on the top five of the rankings. She is also what you call my greatest rival.
She's a roleplayer, something very common and encouraged for those being part of the Endless Program, but took it more seriously than most. Due to that, she was one of the most recorded and storied player in the game, becoming an integral part of the story and her faction, The Light.
Due to her being recorded so much in Endless History, the NPC's and characters of the game started to worship her and formed Kurumi's cult. Which she embraced wholeheartedly and formed the Light of Kurumi, a new religion centered around her. Which made the writers wet their pants in excitement.
With me being technically part of the Demon's side, technically I might add. We fought regularly through PVPs and full blown territorial conflicts at times.
But behind the history and the writer's scenarios, we were friends, close friends in fact. As many of the top players are, regardless of what faction their in. Me and my guild and her colleagues and many more top players always private chat each other and have chatroom servers outside the game. We always think of cool scenarios during those conversations to roleplay when we get back on the game for the writers to put into Endless History.
[She's an actual woman, unlike a G.I.R.L like me.] Guy-In-Real-Life.
"Morus-sama?" Gabril looks at me while being worried as I doze off onto those days.
"Oh sorry, was just reminiscing your master." I said with a smile, which she look at me with surprise.
"Oh thank you Morus-sama. But aren't you two enemies and the reason I became her master is that you exchange me with one of your subordinates?" She asks. Not feeling upset at all after she became essentially a bargaining chip to get someone back.
[Oh that...] In order to make it apply to the Endless History, we thought of me capturing one of Kurumi's beloved angels and then she in turn captured a subordinate of mine. In truth that subordinate is a random Lich that I summoned and the angel is just a wild angel I managed to capture.
"Well you see even rivals reminisce each other from time to time." I said as an excuse.
"Oh okay!" She said with a smile.
But after looking at her again, I smile even greater.
[I remember that...] I look at her wings, which I painstakingly collected from a phoenix and added in after much frustration.
I remember everything from first capturing her as a wild angel, which for someone on the Demon's side is extremely difficult and rare. Then I remodeled her with a help of my fellow guildmate. Editing her face, proportions and hair. Then finally crafting some clothes for her with a help of a famous seamstress player in the game. Which then finally was given to Kurumi as a birthday present disguised as a ransom.
I smile as I see her now making infinite expressions, infinite movements, and emotions and dialogue outside of a script. [Haha I hope you'll see this Kurumi.] I thought, as for our love of making custom-NPCs is what made us bond in the first place.
"Let's go now shall we?" I said to her. "Aslo be invisible as well." I added.
"Yes ma'am!" She said with a salute.
•••
"Hmmm what happened to the Endless world? Honestly I dunno, I was assigned to watch over you and I did, without bothering what's happening in the outside world." Is what Godman said, which Gabril supported with, "Unfortunately. Before the end of the era. I was task by Kurumi-sama to search for you, and after a hundred years or so wondering around after that era ended, I fortunately found you Morus-sama resting." Is what she said on last night's dream.
I step out the door and walk along the corridor. Reading a particularly big book.
[So it ends here huh...] I thought as there are no more pages to flip through, only blank pages.
What I'm reading right now is the Endless History. A book which detailed the entire history of the game and it's players under the Endless Program and sometimes one-shot legends from random players.
It catalogues the events and history of the players that inhabit the Endless World. History which the NPCs and characters inside the game treat as real and would have a corresponding dialogues about it. For example if there is a duel of epic proportions that happened near a city, that city's NPC inhabitants would remember and say something about it when you talk to them about it.
There are hundreds of writers writing and narrating this book all at once when I was still on the game. So it's a magic book which has infinite pages.
['The End of an Era' is what the last page said...] I thought. As there were no more words after that.
[It's what Gabril said too...] Even Gabril didn't know what exactly happened at that time. As well as the NEET god watching over me said, didn't know anything except for one, single, thing.
"What does depletion of magic even mean...?" I accidentally leak out my thoughts, which Gabril answer immediately.
"I don't know the reason, but there has been a universal decline on the overall amount of magic within the air. Every creature with a sense of magic and long lifespans can feel it." She said, while looking down with a worried expression. [Then elves like me would be affected...] I thought.
[That does sound bad... But I can't just worry about what happened who knows how long ago.] I thought, as I need to focus on the present now.
But as I thought about that. "How long in the future? I dunno, gods can't tell time very well without a reference, so I dunno." "I'm very sorry Morus-sama! I sadly am at the same predicament as well! Please punish me all you like!" Is what they said about the subject of time.
"Idiot NEETS!" Is what I shouted at them afterwards.
I look at Gabril with the same look I had when I said that and she starts sweating profusely. [You guys should have not holed in there or know?] I thought, but she couldn't read my mind this time.
[At least they protected me.] Is what I thought. [Goodman you've redeemed yourself.] Waiting silently for me from the rough estimates they can guess, they stayed waiting for me for a few millennia.
[Now that is quite an amazing NEET lifestyle.] I thought as I flip through another wordless page of the book.
With nothing to coming up I close off the Endless History book in my hand.
•••
I finally reach the the lobby of Mary's inn and what do you know, "Wha-waah..?!" It's Juno, who's about to open the door.
"Yo." I casually shout out to him
"W-what are you wearing..?!" He says as he nervously blocks his eyes.
[No wonder Marina treats him like a kid.] I thought as shakes his boots.
"What are you say... Oh that?" I turn my head down and see my getup. [Oh so that's why...] Certainly my outfit is borderline skimpy, but my shorts are not the same length as my ass and I only have this heart-shaped cleavage hole on my sweater, so by the standards of other isekai it's pretty tame.
But still it's pretty embarrassing nonetheless, "Oh sorry, I just woke up and all, need to find the bathroom. Don't peek okay~?" I teasingly said. But even if it goes against my feelings of gouging this guy's eyes out I can't drop the ball yet since it'll only magnify the problem.
[The ones who break position loses.] I always wonder why the girls beat on the protagonist when they see their panties and tits, not realizing that if they act out they are only giving the person in question a reason to sympathize with.
"B-but aren't you embarrassed to show yourself like that?!" He asks, while still covering his eyes but peeking through.
"Hehe this man's cowardice might turn to him to ruin if he doesn't let it out." Gabril speaks of his future in a not so bright way. "Yeah..." I answer to her quietly.
[Get lost kid.] I harshly thought. [Your 18 so get some balls already.] No women with confidence in their own skin would want someone to be scared of tits. Even me who's a dude realizes that when I'm feeling the same thing.
"Nah, nah its alright. I'm fine if you look only." I calmly said while rolling my eyes.
"...Really? You won't hit me?" He meekly said.
"Yes. Seriously." I irritably answer. [I'm not that violent you know? Plus no amount of plot armor would save you from me.] I can say that with confidence.
"...Okay." He spoke in a low tone.
I finally sat down on one of the chairs from the lobby, with the table blocking my privates so he can talk to me more normally.
"So imma ask you next, why you leaving so soon?" I ask, as I saw the two suns just popping out of the sky, so it could only be about 5:30 AM right now at the very least.
"Well..." He clutches his sword's grip. "Well your clever right? You must already know why." He answered.
[And that's the most clever thing you've said so far.] He's right. He's wearing his adventurer getup, a leather looking armor on all limbs, a shell-armor on his torso and back, and some metal plate armor on the forearms, and finally chain mail covering the vulnerable areas. His weapon is a one handed long sword and buckler, with a short sword as his backup.
"Yeah, glad you noticed." Overall he's a pretty well-equipped adventurer, not exactly high rank as from what I can see as only his sword has a slight magical tinge to it but definitely not a rookie either.
"Thank you..." He said as he turns the door knob, "But you aren't even going to say goodbye?" He stops in his tracks.
[Normally you'd be considered diligent but from your circumstances...] It's pretty obvious that he wants to get out of here as soon as possible.
"...What do you know?" He muttered. "What?" I said, fully hearing what he said just now.
"What do you know?! You don't know my family!" There, he finally burst. He seems to get furious when someone brings it up.
"I don't. And honestly don't care much either, but I did see what happened last night you know?" I said calmly. From the two people talking, it's pretty obvious who'a winning this argument.
"Tsk, stop acting all high and mighty just because you saved my sister!" He shouted, [Jeez you'll wake everyone up..] I thought at first.
[But still...] I'm surprised that he knew I saved Mary, since Marina and Leonon hadn't mentioned it once.
"How'd you know?" I ask. "Hmph! I happened to eaves— I mean heard it when I was back here, don't think exaggerating will help!" He pompously said.
[I definitely heard that you're about to say eavesdropping there.] I thought, but didn't care as it was just too petty. [And you can't make false accusations if the only one here is the one your accusing.] I thought, since this one's petty too since I explained what happened to her parents in a monotone voice.
"Well think of it what you want, I don't really care, but I did save her no?" I ask him with a question.
Realizing his bluff didn't work he got red. "Don't think you can boss me around just because your my sister now?!" He brought that up.
[Seriously?] I thought as he brings up that thing.
"It's just a formality so don't think much of it." I bluntly said. As I'm losing my patience with this guy.
"....T-then why are you even talking to me...?" Finally ran out of things to talk about, he ask me honestly for once.
But for me, I already ran out of that from talking to you. "To make you know that I'll be joining the Adventurer's guild. So let's be brothers-in-arms." I said, as I stood up and grab a mug for me to cast water from.
"Haah?!?! You?! Joining the guild?! Get real! Stop joking and get lost!" He shouted, as he opens the door. "In your dreams I'll let that happened..!" Slam! He shuts the door close.
Meanwhile, [This is for you two!] I hold up the mug by myself and...
Glug glug gulp! "...Ahh... Good stuff!" I said as I put the mug down and look at the door beside the counter.
"Sorry you two but I can't leave a kindness be unpaid." Even if they said multiple times that they don't need anything else from me, I'll still feel bad if I don't repay back for what they done for me so far.
[So being that kid's bodyguard and relieving Marina's stress is the least I can do for them.] Plus I always intend on joining the adventurer's guild so this isn't a burden for me at all.
But... "Looks like I actually need to go to the toilet right now." I thought as I feel a tingly sensation on my crotch.
•••
"..."
"What is it Morus-sama?" Gabril wondered as she floats around my face.
"I should have expected this..." I look down with half closed eyes.
I know I shouldn't expect the toilets back on earth but seeing a literal wooden manhole on the ground makes even my piss scared of coming out.
"..Maybe when I..." I thought of several possibilities of letting it out like on the forest for example, as I turn around and see Gabril with unusually bright eyes even for her.
"Morus-sama! Every product coming out of you is worth more than my life! So if you like, you can always use my likeness to—!" Just as she pulls out her tongue.
Slam!
I close the door shut, not worried for Gabril at all since she passes through objects.
"Don't enter here as well."
I sigh and pull my hand over.
•••
"I-I'm very sorry!" Marina bows, but not too much that her hair touches the food.
"D-don't worry about it...!" I nervously said. My hands trying to stop her.
"I'll smack that idiot son so much that he'll turn even dumber...!" Leonon said as he's holding up the leftover wolf meat.
[Is that the cause of it...?] I thought for a second before smiling back and looking over the whole table.
After I let the shower out the bathroom. The parents Marina and Leonon woke up from the commotion caused by their son and after explaining it to them, ended up like this.
After that we, I mean they, started cooking the leftover wolf meat from last night to eat today for breakfast.
[This unusually kind treatment of me, could it be that it's that thing's effect?] I thought. I look at Gabril who's practically hugging me, I told her in a whisper, "...Is it taking effect?" I whispered.
She said to me in her usual voice. "Well, they are accepting you, so yes. The effect is active." She said, noticing that I look down, she added. "Please Morus-sama, this power of yours is not something evil or manipulative at all. It means that they accept you into their lives that it's activated."
"I know I know..." I whispered. "But still..."
Last night, Godman's realm; "You didn't noticed Rin? Your race has both Succubus and Majin Elf blood flowing through your veins. Races that have a charm skill from birth, especially succubus. So the reason why they are acting that way towards you is may be that." After hearing those words from him, I fell in a slump and lay down the grass, and almost passed out because of it thinking [So I manipulated them all this time? They're kindness and generosity is because of that?] I thought at first that they are naturally like that, after hearing about the truth I almost broke down.
But Godman and Gabriel both reassured me, "No. Unlike common preconceptions your charm skills does not work for unwilling participants, even if you put them in a forced state where they do accept your orders, the charm skill doesn't work." He explains.
Afterwards he said to me that the people affected are those, although unconsciously, accept you as a friend, family, and generally being part of their life.
With Gabril supporting him as well, I calmed down somewhat. As I also remember the day on a convention where me and other EWO players joined a hypnosis presentation and was actually hypnotized, feeling awake at the time but doing random things because I accepted doing them.
[But still it's a dubious method at best.] I thought, as I couldn't help but ask them.
"Hey... It's been on my mind for a while but am I taking advantage of you guys?" I need to ask, to clear this guilt-ridden heart of mine.
"No, no! We have never thought of that even once! Right Leonon dear?" Marina immediately surprise ask her husband for support.
"Haha no Morus, even if you leave the fact that you saved our daughter. You have also brought us delicious food and being a good drinking buddy!" He said as he raise up his drink.
""We have never doubted doing this for you."" The two of them said at the same time, with kind-looking eyes.
"Haahh... That's good then." I smiled while looking down, [What a relief.] Even I know for a fact that the best manipulation skills cannot make the one they're controling say something like this.
So that storm finally dissipated in my heart. [But I still don't wanna use this skill as much as I could.] Maybe except for my enemies, I don't wanna use this power of mine to use for my friends. It's a passive skill so I can't get rid of it but I'll try my best.
[Speaking of friends...] "Mama! Papa!" Mary finally shows up.
"What is it Maria?" Marina asks. "Mama! The toilet, the toilet's so clean when I went inside!" Mary excitedly said while hugging her mother.
[Oh that!] I could not stand sitting on that thing so I casted {Disinfect!} on the whole room, making it as clean as possible.
After that thought, I look back once again at the whole picture, a daughter hugging her mother tightly as she panics to pull her out, while the father is eating and drinking with a jolly face.
Except for that troublesome brother, this family seems perfect.
"...I'm glad my own family is fine now as well." I thought as I drink some beer.
"Really!?" Mary reacts. "Oh that's good!" "I'm glad it turned out well!" Marina and Leonon react out loud as well.
But it turns out that thought was spilled out of my mouth, [Crap.] I thought.
"Yeah, someone told me that my troublesome father failed to get my money." I said after drinking and giggling about it.
As I thought of what Godman said back in his realm. "Your parents? Well since the God of Planet Earth ordered me so, the task of what to do with your beloved ones also came to my fold. I decided after looking through your memories to give the rest of my remaining power to your parents and sisters in the form of blessings. So I ensure you I they're fine and turn some decisions in favor of them."
Godman told me that he made the rehab of my mother go a lot easier so she finished it a lot quicker than the doctors thought. As she's able to join the dispute of my inheritance from father. Godman hid my will when my father sent goons to destroy it and was safely sent to my sisters. He found an amazing lawyer that he managed to introduce through chance. So with that all done the courts ruled completely in favor of my mother and sisters, and no money was sent to that father of mine and his family.
I could only laugh out loud whenever I think what Godman told me that and I have completely forgiven him about my murder, [I think I owe you now of something.] I thought.
"Morus-sama, Godman-sama was really happy when you told him you've forgiven him." Gabril chimed in.
"You call him that now too?" I whispered. As the name Godman was just a nickname I made up for him.
"Well it's the first time he's ever received a name since back then, and even then he forgot that name. So he's really happy afterwards when you left and fully adopted it as his own." She explains.
[Well that's good...] I thought. As from my conversation with the two of them last night, my talk with Juno, and Mary's family. I've been thinking a lot of things recently. [I need to stop thinking too much.] I happily thought as from my personality doesn't fit that type. I look at the family once again.
Everyone is very happy right now. Me, Marina, Leonon... Except one.
"T-then will Mori-nee go back to her real parents...?!" She nervously said, as she holds her hands together.
"No, no, no, Mary. They won't need me anymore..." I bend down and try to pat her head.
But when I look closer to her hands, which I thought she just holds nervously. It seems that she's holding something.
[...Where did you get that?!]
I panicked at the small statue, the size of an action figure, that she's holding between her hands.
